Question

Describe two ways an RNA virus can induce oncogenesis

Answer 1

​​​​​​Some viruses induces benign or malignant proliferation of infected cells terms as 'viral oncogenesis'.

The most common outcome for virus-induced reprogramming is genomic instability, including accumulation of mutations, aberrations and DNA damage. Although each virus has its own specific mechanism for promoting carcinogenesis. Several viruses, including HPV, EBV, KSHV, SV40, HCV and HTLV, encode oncoproteins that employ several mechanisms to inactivate two of the major regulators of genome stability, cell viability and cell cycle; namely, the p53 and retinoblastoma proteins (pRB). Verious retrovirus altered proto-oncogene to oncogene. The altered host-derived sequences are termed viral oncogenes (v-onc genes), and these sequences, although not necessary for the replication of the virus, are directly responsible for its rapid transforming activity. Characterization of the v-onc genes present in various acute transforming viruses has led to the identification of many different cellular gene that have been transduced by various tumor viruses.